A Black Agenda Radio commentary by executive editor Glen Ford

Only months after community and student activists saved Temple University’s African American Studies department and Dr. Molefi Asante’s job, chairman Asante has collaborated in the firing of his colleague, Dr. Anthony Monteiro. “Dr. Asante may have earned the gratitude of his masters at Temple University, but his tenure as a person of respect in Black America, is over.” He is beneath contempt.

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by executive editor Glen Ford

“Asante is a back-stabber who should never again be allowed into a position of Black trust.”

Temple University needs to be taught a lesson, and so does Dr. Molefi Asante, the professor who chairs the university’s African American Studies department. Both Temple University and Dr. Asante must be made accountable for their crimes of arrogance and disrespect to Black Philadelphia and to African Americans at large.

Temple University, an elite white-run institution, and Molefi Assante, a man who claims to be a disciple of Afrocentricity, have conspired to fire the brilliant public intellectual and activist Dr. Anthony Monteiro, who has been an associate professor in African American Studies for the past ten years. We know why Temple University might resent Dr. Monteiro, who has worked tirelessly to bring the surrounding Black community onto the campus, and to make the university more accountable to its Black neighbors. It is to be expected that an elite white institution might be uncomfortable with a scholar like Dr. Monteiro, who organized on-campus events in defense of Mumia Abu Jamal and other political prisoners. And, it should come as no surprise that Temple’s white overseers might not appreciate Dr. Monteiro’s deep knowledge of, and commitment to, the Black liberation struggle – that he lives what he teaches. In short, there is no mystery to Temple University’s refusal to renew Dr. Monteiro’s contract. It’s called racism in higher education, 101. And we know how to deal with it.

However, Dr. Molefi Asante’s betrayal is much more hurtful. He has put his considerable prestige at the service of racists, while stabbing Dr. Monteiro in the back and spitting in the face of every Black Philadelphian who has had the misfortune to trust Asante. Last year, student and community protests forced the university to back off a plan to take away the African American Studies department’s autonomy, and to name a white woman with no expertise in the subject as chairperson. At least twice, Dr. Asante was threatened with firing. Instead, the community and student forces that Dr. Monteiro had helped summon, won the day. With Dr. Monteiro’s support, Dr. Asante was named department chairman.

“Asante shuffled, like a minstrel in a dashiki.”

Just a few months later, the white female dean of liberal arts refused to renew Anthony Monteiro’s contract, effectively firing him. What was Dr. Asante’s response? Asante confirmed that the dean had consulted him about the firing, and that his position was that Dr. Monteiro “has a year to year contract and it’s up to the dean.” Then Asante shuffled, like a minstrel in a dashiki. He said he couldn’t “worry about… if somebody signs a contract and then gets upset when someone says your year is up.”

Dr. Asante may have earned the gratitude of his masters at Temple University, but his tenure as a person of respect in Black America, is over. Asante is a back-stabber who should never again be allowed into a position of Black trust, a grasping opportunist who apparently believes that “Afrocentricity” means everything revolves around him. The university’s dean would not have fired Dr. Monteiro if she hadn’t been confident that Uncle Asante had her back – that he would provide Black cover for the racist termination of his colleague. Therefore, two things must happen in this fight. One, Dr. Monteiro must be reinstated. Two, Molefi Asante must be shunned and expelled from the company of honest people for his treachery.

For Black Agenda Radio, I’m Glen Ford. On the web, go to BlackAgendaReport.com.

If you are an educator, we ask that you sign the petition calling for Temple University to reinstate Dr. Anthony Monteiro. Send your name to [email protected] and put “Signature Monteiro” in the subject heading.

21 Comments

I am disappointed with Dr. Asante not lobbying stronger for Dr. Monteiro's and Dr. Muhammad Ahmad's contracts to be renewed. Their Communist and Islamic socialist perspectives are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for the survival of the Department of African American Studies. They are vital to the Department's academic freedom. To let their contracts expire without challenging Dean Soufas is irresponsible leadership. I emailed Dr. Asante asking if he would support the American Studies Association's boycott against Israeli universities for denying academic freedom to Palestinian universities, and he said he would take the matter up with faculty "at the next occasion." The President's office, tragically, have come out against the boycott and in support of Zionist colonization of Palestine. There is obviously no sense of urgency on Asante's part to challenge this, and to protect Palestinians' academic freedom. This is absolutely related to his inability to protect the Department's academic freedom. Dr. King said that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Dr. Asante is missing the importance of seeing the Palestinian struggle against American imperialism as our own struggle against imperialism in America. The scholarship of Drs. Ahmad and Monteiro teach us this, and should not be dismissed so suddenly. Their scholarship and philosophies are pillars that hold the Department up. -RF.

After reading the article No Contract Renewal Has Temple Prof Crying Foul (Bailey, 2014), I was literally amazed and very displeased with Dr. Asante's positionality, his cowardly stance along with his politically correct behavior in reference to Dr. Monteiro treatment. Dr. Asante need to dutifully explain his actions. Further, Dr. Asante's should be ashamed (probably not) and that he merely revealed his true identity and should be exposed accordingly.

In my opinion, Dr. Asante's actions is akin to cajoling Black people to fight for their Black rights and when the actual combat starts, Dr. Asante stands to side and emphatically say "I'm just watching boss". Dr. Asante your credibility is "weighed in the balances, and are found wanting" (Daniel 5:27). Your actions should be viewed as communal treason and you should be excommunicated until you repent of your crimes against the Black community.

But I think it's important to mention that Dr. Asante created this program at Temple! The first Black Studies PhD program in the country. That means Dr. Monteiro has already benefitted from that creation - for 10 years.

I don't get this article? Help me understand? Why is Dr. Asante a betrayer? How did he betray Dr. Monteiro? It seems to me like this is just black on black crime, a personal attack. Jealousy? Mr. Ford is who? What has he done? Dr. Asante is one of the most prolific scholars in African-American history. My children use his textbooks in school. He's written over 70 books that have elevated black minds. He has a community center in the heart of the ghetto in Philly where he lets the community study and use the computer. Why not reach out to him for comment? Mr. Ford has lost all credibility.

Unfortunately, this piece is a prime example of why BAR is irrelevant and out of touch.

What has he written that is so unparalleled? I have always maintained Molefi Asante is a lightweight. He is no Cheikh Anta Diop! Diop did all the heavy work that pretenders such as Asante cloned and degraded into a mass production item. Diop worked and produced against massive opposition, he never relented nor compromised his consistuency. Putting one's personal interests before those of the struggle is a mark of one who is not even confident about what he preaches.

Let's examine some of your emotive claims. Point one: simply because Dr. "Turncoat" Asante created the "first PhD program in Black Studies" does not imply that he's infalible. Point two: you have the chutzpah to say that "Dr. Monterio benefetted from that creation" is sheer poppycock. Has it ever crossed your mind that Dr. Monterio elevated the Black Studies program at Temple since his tenure? For the record, when you refer to "black" people make sure that you use a capital "B" out of respect.

Point three: your assertion about Mr. Ford as being "jealous" is definitely unwarranted and pure conjecture. By the way, simply because your children's school use Dr. Asante's book still does not mean that he cannot be questioned about any of his actions. For example, the majority of his books are published with White owned publishing houses which is hypocrisy 101. Point four: you so happily use the term "ghetto" which definitely shows your lack of scholarship. That term was created those who identify themselves as Jews who were situated in Europe( e.g., Russia, Poland, Hungary, etc.) in the late 19th to mid-20th century. In the future, these are should be described as "intentionally neglected areas".

Again, you're definitely wrong for espousing the notion that BlackAgendaReport (BAR)"is irrelevant" because you cannot find another medium that critically examines the issues confronting our Black community. If BAR is irelevant, then the following personnel would qualify as well: 1) the so-called Black President, 2) the Congressional Black 'Carcus' Caucus, 3) so-called Black city council members, 4) the so-called Black media, 5) the scores of so-called Black organizations who rarely publicly critique domestic& foreign policies, or 6) the majority of Black scholars(e.g., preK-PhD) who merely maintain the status quo within the parameters of their work. Do you understand my point now? I certainly hope so!!

I am not one to comment on these spaces but I had to add some balance:

1. Glen Ford is incorrect for using this tone with Dr. Asante, it is totally unAfrican. Maybe it is not unblack. It is not how we handle ourselves as conscious people who have an appreciation of Maat. Has he spoken to Asante? No. So it is a vicious attack against someone with a track record. He could have written the same content without the vitriol and persuaded more poeple and polarized far less.

2. johnbrownfree -says that BAR is NOW out of date. This is the exact problem with people. Why does one mistake by Asante or Glen Ford wash out everything else? Why are we so damn quick to jump and attack? Polarizing people -- dividing people. And in reply to Brett. BAM is certainly not the only serious voice of the community, but we should be grateful for what they are doing. There is Africanlobby.com and African Holocaust Society all kinds of serious work.

3. Was Asante right? Not really, politically he should have shown more spine. But it would have made no difference. Still it does not make him what Glen says he is. Asante is questionable for someone boasting about Afrocentricity but I do not think he acts like he preaches (and this is a general observation). It does show him to be FOR HIMSELF. BUT, it does not make him a right-off. No way you can wash him out for this. His work is needed, but at the sametime he is not beyond critique and as Brett said it is hardly all of that. He does get published by a lot of Whites. None is life threatening b/c we have so few doing anything anyway. No one is perfect.

4. Black (lowercase or capitalized) is a joke. Even BAR uses the lowercase. But it should be capitalized as a Fine Point. Negro was always capitalized, and so was Nigger. We fight the wrong fights. What what we should be doing is paradigm shifting and calling ourselves Africans!!! Now that would be something worth fighting over. Dont you think some LAND, black what?

You made a few valid points concerning Dr. Asante. I agree that Dr. Asante should not be casted to the wayside based upon the body of work he's produced. But lets be very clear, Dr. Asante is not above any public critique and accountability from the Black community. Keep in mind, respect has to be earned incessantly and not based upon one's chronological age either.

Regarding Glen Ford's "tone", he has every right to intellectually interrogate Dr. Asante or anybody else actions that are highly questionable and suspect. Talk about "polarization", Dr. Asante's turncoat behavior was the accelerant for this "polarization". On another note, I never intimated that BlackAgendaReport was the only news resource that provided invaluable information to the Black community.

Regarding "Blacks" in America identifying themselves as "African", that will not be happening anytime some due to the onset of neoliberalism, multiculturalism, and ahistorical education(PreK-PhD). Thereby, the paradigm shift that you're "calling for" will occur at a snails pace in my opinion(unfortunately). Case in point, since the election of Barack Obama to the Presidency, the collective Black community has not made any demands (e.g., policy or otherwise) in the same manner as the immigrant, gay, or Jewish community similarly.

Until Blacks began to embrace a collective group mindset(as other ethnic groups do consistently), the Black community will forever be at the mercy of everybody else.

I have been at Temple Black studies since it was PAN AFRICAN STUDIES department,under Dr. Ayaga and given the B*ll S**t / disaster that was former Depmt chair -Normant left it IN shambles, I am not surprise at this misdirection!!!, Dr Asante is honerable , and so is Dr. M, this is TEMPLE ADMIN divide and conqour tactics, I have seen this strategy several times since 1976, this depaprtment must survive ,at all cost...the politics will work them selves out, but you better remember the fight to have Black studies has been continuous, Temple has underfunded, tried to dilute and in the end placed reactionary Normant as chair for Damm near 10 years , he is the one responsible for for the decay and confusion that you see, SAVE BLACK STUDIES,wait to see the TRUTH, Mr. Ford ,you are not showing discretion or responsible reflection...

It appears that you definitely missed the mark in the majority of your emotive points. Your inability to coherently convey your positionality is quite troublesome for someone who has been aligned with the Black Studies for decades.

Yes, the colonial tactic of divide and conquer does exist in a current context. However, you cannot refute or discount the words that hailed from Dr. Asante. You failed to address any of Dr. Asante's responses as it concerned Dr. Monteiro and Temple University. Regardless of our various opinions concerning this matter, we can all agree that the Black Studies Department at Temple University must continue. This include having its own budgetary, ideological, free of academic censorship, and personnel hiring authority. In close, Dr. Asante still needs to come before the community stakeholders and qualify his remarks accordingly.

Released Feb. 10, 2014...Undressing the N-word, Revealing the Naked Truth About Lies, Deceit and Mind Games...leaves no stones unturn and Black Studies is one of the stones turned over revealing the naked truth shedding some light on what's going on at Temple University, and more.

Progressive academics are being hounded with alarming intensity today. African scholars and African American scholars are expected to accept dismissive, rude behavior in and out of the classroom that no white administrator could imagine or would ever put up with. Of course, the faculty are blamed for being racist toward the white students.

The hideous underbelly of this involves the very active collusion of social science faculty who willingly promote conservative administration agendas by swatting and obstructing any progressive faculty who is actually doing his or her job. Somehow these white faculty are able to convince themselves that a left-of-center discipline can be taught in an "objective" (conservative) fashion. They win awards for this. Literally.

I wanted to attend Temple. I possess all the academic marks. More importantly, I am CONSCIOUSLY AFRICAN. Yet, Temple does not have money for Graduate Students in its African American Studies Department.

Temple is the ONLY Black Studies Department that teach the DISCIPLINE of BLACKNESS at the center. (all others teach a euro-centered approach). I find this attack inappropriate, tawdry and wretched. The one you are attacking took many shots to create this African centered program. A program many Scholars want to attend.

Instead of knee-jerk reactions, Get the FACTS! I understand you want to stan for "your boy," but doing it this way shows how malicious, vulgar, and profane you are.

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